Burden of an Older Brother
by InoShikaChou
Summary: Kankuro is confronted with his own failure when he witnesses the pain of a man seeking revenge against Gaara.


Disclaimer: I do not own Kankuro or Gaara and am not making a profit from this story.

This takes place right after the Gaara Rescue arc.

**Burden of an Older Brother**

"You wanna say that again?" Kankuro sneered at the punk he was holding by the lapels.

The guy looked rather crazed as he tried to loosen his attacker's grip. "I said that he should have stayed gone."

Shortly after Gaara's return to Suna, he decided to give a speech to assure his people that the danger had passed. Right in the middle of it, this man ran up screaming at Gaara, and Kankuro left his siblings' sides to get him to a secluded area and _take care of_ the disturbance.

"How dare you insult your Kazekage, you..."

"I'll never recognize him as the Kazekage!" the man interrupted. His eyes had lost their insane look and now held tears. "He killed my little brother! How can I forgive that?"

"What?" Kankuro jerked back in shock and nearly released him before regaining his grip. "What are you talking about? He hasn't..."

"It was several years ago." Tears ran down his face, and his voice quivered. "My brother was only six. He didn't do anything to that monster. I swear. He was just playing in the sandbox. Then... Then the demon came up to him..." He was shaking violently now. "I couldn't move. I couldn't... Then he just walked past me like I wasn't even there."

Kankuro couldn't bring himself to say anything. He did loosen his grip again and lower the other man to let his feet fully touch the ground.

"My brother... He was just... And then his murderer became the Kazekage. And when he was captured, I thought justice had finally, finally been served. But..." He slumped as much as Kankuro's grip would allow. "I was supposed to protect my brother."

_You failed him._ That was what Kankuro wanted to say. But the memory of his own failure was still fresh in his mind. He couldn't protect Gaara from the Akatsuki. Or very much else in his life. Besides, what could this guy have done against the host of Shukaku?

With a grunt of disgust, he threw the man aside. "Go home," he told him simply, not knowing what else to say to the guy.

"But..."

"Leave!" Kankuro yelled. "And don't ever even think of threatening Gaara again." Whatever courage the man had left seemed to abandon him as he scrambled up from his knees and hurried away.

Kankuro stood still for several moments only to find Gaara standing behind him when he turned around. "The speech is over already, huh?" He tried to smile. "How long have you been here?"

"Long enough."

"Gaara..." Kankuro began as his brother looked in the direction the man had run off in.

"Do you think it would help if I talked to him?"

The puppet master was stunned that the Kazekage was asking his opinion and wished he had better advice to give. "I don't know. He's still so angry after all these years. Not just at you."

Gaara gave him a questioning look.

Kankuro hoped his brother had come to understand family enough to grasp what he was about to say and what he felt. "An older brother is supposed to protect his younger siblings. That's just the way it is. He couldn't do that, and now his brother is dead. That kind of pain doesn't go away."

The Kazekage's expression remained neutral, but his eyes shifted ever so slightly. He studied Kankuro for a long moment. "It wasn't his fault. There was nothing he could have done."

"That doesn't matter," Kankuro said softly. "It doesn't take away the guilt. Or that feeling of failure." _Like I failed you. Against the Akatsuki and so many other times in the past._

"I think I understand." Gaara took a step closer to his older brother. "I don't know if I can make amends for this, but I must try." He closed his eyes and remained silent for several seconds. "I will think about what I can do for him. Will you help me?"

"Sure thing. Whatever you need." At his brother's nod, he started walking back towards the stage they had used for the speech. "Let's go find Temari. She's probably wondering what happened." They went on in silence. Kankuro was lost in thought. _At least you're still alive. I may not be there yet, little brother, but I will get stronger. I won't fail you next time._


End file.
